A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ
Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417
(home/office)
Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
Check out the web site:
(I Corinthians 10:31 and I Peter 4:11)
(Acts 17:2-7) “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.”
Paul and Silas where in Thessalonica preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ as they ought to have been doing (Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15-16). The preaching of the Gospel always brings about a response. Some believe and accompanied Paul and Silas, but other did not believe and they sought to bring harm upon Paul and Silas so much that the brethren there sent away Paul and Silas under the cover of night (Acts 17:10). The charge “these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” When preaching the word of God the way it ought to be preached, people will get offended especially with those who reject what the word of God demands they do. With this clear fact that is shown through the New Testament, I wonder why some are so afraid that they might offend someone when preaching the Gospel unto them?
We Might Run Somebody Off
Over the years I have met several brethren who were more concerned with “running someone off” than with converting someone to Christ. One person in particular seemed to think that it was better to have someone continually attend services than to teach something that made that person make a choice of whether or not they were going to obey the Lord. This particular person would often comment “I sure hope that sermon didn’t run ‘em off.” I wonder what brethren such as this one feels when the read accounts such as Paul and Silas in Thessalonica? I wonder how some that have the “offend nobody mentality” feel when they read accounts such as the reaction of the people in Ephesus at the preaching of Paul against idolatry (Acts 19:25-29)? This type of preaching caused confusion and strife among the town folk, thus God must have been upset with this, right? Wrong! The record states: (Acts 19:18-20) “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”
We can see clearly that the preaching of the word of God causes some to be offended. Stephen wasn’t stoned because he tried to keep from running someone off (Acts 7:51-60). Preaching the Gospel is about telling people what they need to do to be saved (Acts 2:37-41). When you tell someone they need to be saved you are telling them that they are lost. Some, maybe even many, will not take kindly to being told they are in need of a Savior (John 8:32-37). Nevertheless, while some may be offended, it is our work to take the word of God to them wherever they are (Acts 5:42; 20:20). As we look at the examples in the New Testament and see the many reactions to the preaching of the word of God, our question should not revolve around whether or not we will run someone off. Our questions should revolve around why we are not pricking the hearts of individuals with the Gospel enough to get a reaction out of them.
Conclusion
Yes, preaching the truth can, will, and most times offends people. When you offend someone you cause that person discomfort. What more can you ask for? Should we not want to preach that which causes someone to be uncomfortable with their lifestyle of sin? Are we not in the wrong when we allow someone to think that they are okay living the sinful life that they are living (Acts 20:26-27 and Romans 6:1; 15)? The Gospel is the power of God to everyone that believeth (Romans 1:16). Those who reject the words of our Lord do so out of offense not from the teacher, but out of being offended by the Lord. I say; if the Gospel runs them off, let it! God commands us to teach and preach nothing more than His word (II Timothy 4:2). If we become the enemy of someone because we followed the word of God, so be it.
(Hebrews 4:12) “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart.” When is the last time you were pricked
by something? Did it hurt? I am no fan of getting blood test
or shots. However, those things are necessary at times for us to
get healthy when we are unhealthy. When we identify what the word
of God does, we find that the terms used in definition of the word of God
(prick, pierce, sharp, discern, sword, etc.) identifies the type of action
the word of God takes. The word of God is planted as a seed in the
hearts of men (Luke 8:11; 15). Implantation of anything could easily
cause some sort of pain. If the word of God does not pierce someone’s
hurt and cause introspection on the part of the hearer, there will never
be a conversion to Christ from the grip of darkness (Colossians 1:13).
(Matthew 10:34) “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I
came not to send peace, but a sword.”